The hunting of the woodcock and its future.
The ICA! IS IT RELIABLE?
THE ICA. WHAT CREDIT THEM TO GRANT ?
Among the known ICA (hunting index of abundance), the ICA of the Club National des Bécassiers (CNB) is the national benchmark. It is systematically used each season by the Bécasse de l'Oncfs network to estimate the level of frequentation of the Bécasse des Bois in France. Bécanotes * is the tool that allows club members to enter the results of all their hunting trips, in order to obtain the departmental and national values of the ICA each season.
Here is the result of the study for the 2017/2018 season (ICA Cnb national 1.61) compared to that of 2016/2017 (ICA 1.76)
More than 35 departments show significant anomalies. Here are the most representative.
For these 5 departments, the 2017/2018 Ica increases significantly compared to the 2016/2017 Ica, while the number of woodcock raised decreases !
For these 3 departments, the 2017/2018 Ica is almost identical to that of 2016/2017, while the number of woodcock raised is dropping sharply. !
For the Lot, a small drop in the 2017/2018 Ica compared to that of 2016/2017, but a sharp drop in the number of tricks !
For Brittany, the emblematic region of the Woodcock, the anomalies are striking. Increase in Ica 2017/2018 compared to Ica 2016/2017, but sharp drop in the number of collections in all Breton departments !
It is out of the question to criticize the Ica of the Cnb. He did a service in a time when there was nothing ! But it is clear that for several years, it no longer reflects the level of frequentation of Woodcock populations in France, as well as inter-season fluctuations. More worrying, its values are strongly overestimated and can mislead on the real state of the workforce, if we do not take precautions in their reading and in their use.
Added to this observation on the ICA is the same problem for other indicators.
IAN (nocturnal abundance index), AGE / RATIO hunting and banding.
All Woodcock hunters will understand that with such anomalies, it is risky to say the least that the Woodcock is in good health with stable numbers and that there is no need to worry.
Especially since over the last decade the indices have converged :
In France in 15 years, withdrawals have fallen from 1,160,000 to 736,000 * (less 430,000), i.e. a 37% drop.
In the United Kingdom in 10 years there has been a decline of 29% in the workforce (BTO and GWCT).
In Russia recently, reduction of the period of Croule shooting from 16 to 10 days.
In northern Italy, to protect the wintering birds for several years, almost all the regions close woodcock hunting on 31/12, those of the Center and the South on 31/01.
And to finish on the 2017/2018 season :
Collapse of the workforce in the South-East and the South, affecting all the departments of Paca and part of Languedoc-Roussillon !!
Philippe Vignac
Sources. * Bécanotes figures from the Club National des Bécassiers.
* ONCFS estimate of withdrawals (1998/1999 and 2013/2014)
JULY 2018